The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1887-07-30
AN AMERICAN KING.

bany, n. Y, later of San Francisco,
aud now elevated by the power OF
love to the throne of king of Cooks
island in the South Pacific ocean. A
history of Mr.. Banks life in Albany
would add so little interest to his later
life that 1t is unnecessary to refer to
it now, except to state that In that
town he married a very interesting
young lady, for whom, according to
his latest letters to friends, he still en-
tertains the most touching affection.
It is also hardly necessary to say that
the lady in question places so little
faith in these assurances of unbound
ed love that she has begun divorce
suit, and charges his kingship with
desertion and infdelity.
Soon after the marriage of the
couple they iourneyed to San Fran
cisco, where Mr.. Banks, being intelli-
gent and bright, as well as hand
some young man, obtained employ
ment in the Office of Wells. Fargo d
Co. There he prospered-prospered
too well for his personal good, for,
having obtained a position of trust
and gained the entire confidence OF
his employers, he suddenly disap-
peared six months ago, carrying with
him over $4,000 belonging.to the
company. His many friends at the
Golden Gate mourned his departure,
for he was a good talker, and a good
story-teller, while his little suppers at
home and at his club were the talk OF
society for days after each event.
Mrs. Banks, too, mourned his loss, but
the reasons were widely different, and
she went to New York after gathering
enough evidence in San Francisco to
prove that her husband had not been
all that she expected. Consulting a
law firm there the papers of divorce
were properly drawn up, but pending
information as to the whereabouts OF
her recreant husband she withheld
proceedings.
Meanwhile Wells, Fargo & Co. had
sent detectives after the defaulter,
who tracked him to Tahiti, Sandwich
Islands, but the willy young man fed
in a schooner few hours before the
sleuth-hounds yof the law reached
: there. From this point the gay de-
faulter's movements much resembled
those of Billy Kid, the illustrious hero
whom Rosina Vokes sings about in
her clever song, 'His art Was True
to Poll" Like Billy Kid, Mr.. Banks
Landed on a strange shore and looked out
..s.. for an inn, a.,
When a noble savage lady, of color
rather shady,
Came along and accosted him.
"Oh, stay with me, and the king you'll be,
And in palace loll,
Or I'll eat you like fillet;" so he gave
his hand, did Billy,
But his art was true to Poll.
Mr.: Banks was certainly in luck.
He had sailed away from Tahiti for a
point anywhere out of the grasp of
the law, and favoring gales had direct
ed his craft to the shores of Rareton-
ga, Cooks Island, in the South Pa
cifc, where the beautiful but dusky
queen Ulakea (Ulakea In English but
something else in her own picturesque
language) reigned quietly and kindly
over her loving tribe. She is a wild
-ow,~ but ceased abruptly to grieve for
her departed lord when the handsome
face and manly bearing and figure of
Mr.. Banks loomed up before her in
her quiet, luxurious home. He
was a wanderer, weary and forlorn,
and she widow, sad and lonely, but
with lots of this worlds goods and a
large heart, which she unhesitatingly
threw at his feet. Her kindness won
him, coupled with his own Yankee in
genuity, which told him that he had
struck it rich, and he availed himself
OF the fortunate opportunity equally
as unhesitatingly as it had been
opened to him.
There at Raretonga, safe from the
laws strong grasp, where the climate
is glorious and warm all the yeal
round, Banks,is now living, duly do
mesticated and acknowledged as king,
and receiving the homage of the peo-
pie, who adore him, because their be,
loved queen has set them the exam
pie. The detectives who found him
there say he expresses no desire to re-
turn to his native country, but seems
satisfied to continue his life of idle.
ness and power.
The United States treasury to-day
is a vast bank in metallic money and
money metals. Probably it has the
greatest hoard of the precious metals
coined and uncoined, anywhere on
the face of the earth-and this is moi
all gathered In one place. On the 1si